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Best High Schools in Zip Code 21502

At a glance

Schools

1,674

Students

Top rankedAllegany High96^th of 227 Maryland high schools

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Biggest riser

Fort Hill High up 35 spots statewide this year

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Newly ranked this year

Center for Career & Technical Education

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Summary:

This analysis examines three high schools in zip code 21502 (Cumberland, MD), serving grades 9-12 (with the Center for Career & Technical Education serving grades 11-12), all part of the Allegany County Public Schools district, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks 12th out of 25 districts in Maryland.

Allegany High stands out as the academic leader, with the highest state ranking (96th out of 227, 58th percentile) and a strong 64.6% proficiency in English Language Arts, significantly outpacing both the district (53.1%) and state (51.7%). It also boasts a 92% graduation rate and has shown consistent improvement, moving from a 2-star to a 3-star school. Fort Hill High is a close competitor, ranking 103rd (55th percentile) with a 91.1% graduation rate, and notably outperforms Allegany in overall math proficiency (18.5% vs. 11.8%) and foundational math courses like Algebra I and Geometry. However, Fort Hill faces greater engagement challenges, with a higher dropout rate (7.0% vs. 4.0%) and chronic absenteeism (45.4% vs. 41.2%). The Center for Career & Technical Education serves as a specialist school for 11th and 12th graders, focusing on vocational training with the lowest student-to-teacher ratio (11.5:1) and highest per-student spending ($29,020), though it has the lowest test scores and state ranking (194th, 1-star).

A key finding is the "math paradox": overall math proficiency is critically low across all schools (4.2% to 18.5%), yet both Allegany (73.9%) and Fort Hill (72.7%) achieve exceptional proficiency in Algebra II, nearly three times the state average (27.1%), suggesting a strong advanced math track for select students. Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue, with all schools exceeding the district average of 33.6%, particularly at Fort Hill (45.4%). For parents, Allegany High offers the strongest overall academics and upward trend, while Fort Hill High provides better foundational math support but struggles with student engagement, and the Center for Career & Technical Education is best evaluated by its technical training outcomes rather than standardized test scores.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCAP Mathematics (2026)	MCAP English Language Arts (2026)		MCAP Algebra I (2026)	MCAP Algebra II (2026)	MCAP Geometry (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 10th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Algebra II End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Allegany High	Public	9-12	900 Seton Dr	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 777-8110	719	45	15.9	50.1%	577 (80.3%)	37 (5.1%)	28 (3.9%)	14 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	60 (8.3%)	43	96^th of 227 public high schools	57.7%		41.3	101^st of 220 public high schools	54.1%	5	11.8	64.6	64.6	6.2	73.9	6.3	$15,443	$1,437	$14,005
Fort Hill High	Public	9-12	500 Greenway Ave	Cumberland	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 777-2570	655	42	15.5	53.6%	537 (82.0%)	29 (4.4%)	18 (2.7%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	62 (9.5%)	41.6	103^rd of 227 public high schools	54.6%		29.3	138^th of 220 public high schools	37.3%	35	18.5	57.0	57.0	15.6	72.7	15.8	$15,701	$1,241	$14,460
Center for Career & Technical Education	Public	11-12	14211 Mcmullen Hwy Sw	Cresaptown	21502	Allegany County	Allegany County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 729-6486	300	26	11.5	53.3%	273 (91.0%)	6 (2.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.7%)	15.8	194^th of 227 public high schools	14.5%					(n/a)	4.2	30.6	30.6	4.2			$29,020	$1,772	$27,248

Cities Near Zip Code 21502

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Cresaptown	0.52 mi	2	102^nd
Cumberland	1.62 mi	9	158^th
Lavale	3.28 mi	2	64^th
Frostburg	5.6 mi	4	112^th
Lonaconing	7.01 mi	2	174^th

See the top MD Maryland cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maryland State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.